Impact of speech-language therapy on autistic individuals

Before jumping into the discussion, I’d like to share a few quick facts about Autism

Spectrum Disorder (ASD) sourced from the National Autism Association:

1) Autism now affects 1 in 36 children.

2) Boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls.

3) No two people with autism are alike.

4) About 40% of children with autism do not speak. About 25%-30% of children with

autism have some words at 12-18 months of age and then lose them.

5) Currently, there is no cure for autism, but early therapeutic intervention is crucial.

Autism impacts typical brain development in the areas of social interaction (pragmatic),

communication skills, and cognitive function. Speech- language therapy aims to

address the difficulties listed above by providing individualized therapy plans.

Speech-language therapy is a crucial component of intervention for children with ASD.

This blog explores some of the common ways speech-language therapy can positively

impact children with autism.

Social Interaction Enhancement: Speech Language Therapy helps improve verbal and

nonverbal social communication as well as understanding the rules of conversational

communication.

1) Examples of verbal social communication includes:

a. Greeting

b. Informing

c. Requesting

2) Nonverbal

a. Understanding and using facial expressions

b. Understanding and using body language

c. Understanding and using space when conversing with others

3) Social Communication Rules:

a. Turn taking.

b. Staying on topic

c. Appropriate ways to express thoughts and feelings.

Communication Skills Development: Therapists utilize various methods to aid

communication development, targeting each individual’s Communication Bill of Rights.

1) Providing and teaching the use of visuals to enhance communication skills.

2) Assessing, facilitating, and advocations for the use of an appropriate

communication device aka Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC).

3) Teach effective communication skills which can be carried over into all

environments relevant to the child.

Individualized Treatment Approach: as mentioned earlier, no two children with ASD are

alike. Therefore, an SLP will consider the following factors when building an

individualized treatment plan:

1) Consider the child’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.

2) Collaborate with people in the child’s environment such as parents, teachers, and

other professionals.

3) Consider the child’s abilities, interests, and family dynamics.

By empowering children with the tools and strategies they need to communicate

effectively and navigate social environments, therapy can significantly improve their

quality of life and maximize their potential.

-By Dipali Bhakta